After a long-weekend involving two fatal crashes in the Hunter and a spike in drivers caught with drugs in their system, motorists need to remember to take responsibility for their actions, one of the region's senior highway patrol officers says.
Two people died in separate head-on crashes barely more than 24 hours apart on the weekend.
In the first, a 35-year-old man died after his car collided with a truck on Cessnock Road between Maitland and Gillieston Heights on Saturday morning.
The following day, a 58-year-old woman died after an oncoming Nissan Navara allegedly failed to negotiate a bend at Park Avenue, Kotara, crashing into her Toyota Camry.
The Nissan driver, 27-year-old Andrew Matijevic, suffered minor injuries and was later charged with dangerous driving occasioning death-drive manner dangerous, negligent driving occasioning death, not keeping left of a dividing line, and negligent driving (no death or grievous bodily harm).
Mr Matijevic faced Newcastle Local Court on Monday morning, where he was refused bail.
He will face court again today.
Highway Patrol Inspector Dale Abbott said he was saddened for the families of the people who had died.
"It's a reminder that people using the roads have to take responsibility for their actions," he told the Newcastle Herald on Monday.
"Lives are snuffed out in the blink of an eye."
Double demerits were in force between Thursday and Monday for Operation Tortoise - the annual Easter long-weekend crack-down on the state's roads.
Inspector Abbott said there was a noticeable reduction of vehicles on the Hunter's roads this long-weekend, indicating many people had taken heed of directions to stay home as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
He said it was pleasing to see, but police continued to encounter too many motorists breaking the law - drink-driving, having illegal drugs in their system, using mobile phones while driving and not wearing seatbelts.
Of particular concern this long-weekend, Inspector Abbott said, was a spike in motorists caught drug-driving in the Lake Macquarie area.
"Charge after charge after charge in Lake Macquarie is motorists with drugs in their system," he said.
"Obviously we've got a lot more work to do in terms of education.
"It's unacceptable at all times. They [drivers with drugs in their system] represent very highly in terms of drivers involved in fatal crashes.
"I appreciate they may not be impaired but they still represent significant risk to everyone on the road."
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